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Tennessee soccer survives slow start to beat Lipscomb 3-0

Although Tennessee soccer did not find the back of the net in the first 45 minutes, the Lady Vols showed their quality in the second half, defeating Lipscomb 3-0.

Just as was the case in the season-opening win against Cal, each of the goals were scored by a different player. Jordan Fusco opened the scoring early in the second half, while Keaton Mitchell and Kameron Simmonds scored within a minute of each other later in the half.

The Bisons started the game with urgency, creating plenty of high-danger chances within the first ten minutes. Their best chance of the first half came in the 19th minute, when Kiara Pralle forced Ally Zazzara to make her only save of the half, tipping the ball over the crossbar for a corner kick.

Just four minutes later, the Lady Vols were awarded a penalty from a handball inside the 18-yard box. Simmonds was selected to take it but did not put enough power behind the shot, allowing Lipscomb's Sara Kile to save it. Tennessee forced Kile to make three more saves in the half, including a 44th minute shot by Sheridan Michel which resulted in a Lady Vol corner kick. Shortly after the corner was not converted into a goal, the first half ended.

Jordan Fusco scored the opening goal of the contest eight minutes into the second half, finishing a pass from Kate Runyon between the legs of Kile. Fusco entered the referee’s notes for a yellow card just a few minutes prior to her goal.

In the 80th minute, the Lady Vols would add to their lead off a corner kick, as Mitchell connected for the second goal of the afternoon. Less than a minute later, Simmonds found the back of the net, putting the Lady Vols ahead by three.

As she did against Cal on Thursday, Zazzara played the entire first half in goal. Abigail Reisz played most of the second half, while Mackenzie Haba entered after the third goal was scored.

The Lady Vols return to Regal Soccer Stadium on Thursday for a meeting with East Tennessee State.

Tennessee soccer survives slow start to beat Lipscomb 3-0
 
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Lady Vols Shutout Lipscomb, 3-0 - University of Tennessee Athletics

Lady Vols Shutout Lipscomb, 3-0IMG_3459.jpeg


Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Lady Vols remain perfect on the season, claiming their first shutout of the season with a 3-0 victory at Lipscomb on Sunday.

Junior Jordan Fusco, freshman Keaton Mitchell and sophomore Kameron Simmonds all found the back of the net for UT. Redshirt-senior Maria Nelson and sophomore Ally Brown recorded assists.

All three keepers saw action in goal, with redshirt-sophomore Ally Zazzara making the start, redshirt-freshman Abby Reiszentering the game at halftime, and senior MacKenzie Haba closing out the final five minutes. Zazzara logged one save on the day.

For LU, Sara Kile played the full game in net, allowing three goals and tallying eight saves.

"I'm very pleased with our performance today. It was a great team win," said Tennessee head coach Joe Kirt.

"We needed everyone today on a hot, Sunday afternoon. It's difficult to win on the road, and today was no different. Lipscomb was organized and competed well. It took us a little bit to settle in, and we left a few chances out there, but we kept at it and eventually found the back of the net. Credit to our team for their mentality today, we competed at a high level and were dominant in our possession. We have a deep and talented team, with six different players scoring goals this week. We've had two good performances, which we will learn from and be better on Thursday night against ETSU back at Regal Stadium."

Freshman Kate Runyon got UT's first quality look of the game in the 15th minute, ripping a low shot from the top of the box but missing just right.

Four minutes later, Simmonds put one on frame, but Kile came up with the diving save.

In the final minute of the half, junior Sheridan Michel forced Kile into knocking a well-placed shot over the crossbar, earning the Big Orange a corner kick, but the Lady Vols couldn't convert on the set piece, and the game remained scoreless through the break.

The Lady Vols got on the board in the 53rd minute when Nelson slid a ball across the box for Fusco to run onto. The junior one-touched the ball into the side of the net to give Tennessee the lead.

Freshman Sarah Greiner nearly made it a two-point advantage in the 71st minute, but Kile made a diving save to stop the blast that was headed toward the left corner of the net.

Keaton Mitchell logged the first goal of her collegiate career in the 80th minute, connecting on a corner from sophomore Ally Brown.

Kameron Simmonds rounded out the scoring a minute later, breaking into the LU box and burying a well-struck shot in the back of the net to give UT the 3-0 victory on the road.

UP NEXT: The Lady Vols will return home to face another in-state rival in ETSU on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.

EVERYONE IS DANGEROUS: Including two goals from the exhibition contest against #7 Alabama, UT's nine goals thus far have been scored by eight different players. Freshmen Sarah Greiner, Kate Runyon and Keaton Mitchell, sophomores Kameron Simmonds (2) and Jenna Stayart, junior Jordan Fusco, redshirt-senior Maria Nelson and graduate Samantha Agresti have all found the back of the net for the Big Orange.

FRESHMEN FINDING THEIR FOOTING: In the Lady Vols first two contests, all four of UT's active freshmen have recorded a goal or assist. Forwards Kate Runyon and Sarah Greiner each logged goals, and defender Linette Hoffman tallied an assist in the season opener against Cal, while midfielder Keaton Mitchell put her name on the scorecard with a goal at Lipscomb.
 
I see personnel issues with this team again, and more potentially suspect decisions by Kirt.

We've got a few experienced, talented transfers--and Kirt may be short-changing them in favor of untested players who've been with the
program longer. For example: Sizzy Lawton has been subbing in a wide forward even though she was a longtime starter in the midfield for Penn. She's been more impressive than Simmonds, in limited minutes--but why isn't Kirt playing her in the midfield? And why hasn't her given her a start or two in the midfield to see what he's got? She looks talented. Instead, he's starting Midgley, who's got some skills but who is small, didn't play much last year and hasn't been very influential this year. Is Kirt really confident that Midgley is going to help us win SEC games--more so than Lawton? How could he even know, at this early stage--and yet he seems to have made up his mind.

The same with S. Agresti. She was a longtime midfield starter for Boston College--but she's backing up G. Washington--who in four years as done nothing to show that she's a good soccer player. Agresti scored a goal in the game against Bama and nearly had one today. Washington is a bit bigger than Agresti and might be a touch more physical--but I seriously question how influential she's going to be in the SEC. Agresti looks better in possession and in attack, and I think has a better soccer IQ. I don't know what our best midfield group might be--and I doubt Kirt does either. But like last year, he seems locked in already on starters, which I find curious. If anybody is around the university or the athletic department and can get word on what's up with Katz, it would be nice to know. She is a player who could help this team significantly, if and when she's playing again.

Here's another issue: Kirt is playing Simmonds out on the wing, and it is not working. It's not working because she's a center-forward, not a winger. What's more, she keeps trying, over and over again, to dribble past defenders--and all she's been doing is losing the ball, over and over again. She needs to get rid of the ball. She's got two goals--one a PK--but she's not been very good. The bigger issue is that Simmonds, Runyon and Thomas are ALL center-forwards. How all this shakes out whenever Thomas gets back is going to be interesting. It's hard to see her and Simmonds having much chemistry--given that neither is really very good at passing the ball or creating chances for others.

In any case, we were pretty ragged today, especially in the first 20 minutes of the game. Maybe it was the 90 degree heat, an away game and only two days of rest. That's a combination that can lead to lethargic play. We slowly pulled things together enough to beat a LIpscomb team that doesn't seem very good this year but did work hard defensively. I think our depth was the difference. We have a lot of this year, and glad to see the coaches using it.
 
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I see personnel issues with this team again, and more potentially suspect decisions by Kirt.

We've got a few experienced, talented transfers--and Kirt may be short-changing them in favor of untested players who've been with the
program longer. For example: Sizzy Lawton has been subbing in a wide forward even though she was a longtime starter in the midfield for Penn. She's been more impressive than Simmonds, in limited minutes--but why isn't Kirt playing her in the midfield? And why hasn't her given her a start or two in the midfield to see what he's got? She looks talented. Instead, he's starting Midgley, who's got some skills but who is small, didn't play much last year and hasn't been very influential this year. Is Kirt really confident that Midgley is going to help us win SEC games--more so than Lawton? How could he even know, at this early stage--and yet he seems to have made up his mind.

The same with S. Agresti. She was a longtime midfield starter for Boston College--but she's backing up G. Washington--who in four years as done nothing to show that she's a good soccer player. Agresti scored a goal in the game against Bama and nearly had one today. Washington is a bit bigger than Agresti and might be a touch more physical--but I seriously question how influential she's going to be in the SEC. Agresti looks better in possession and in attack, and I think has a better soccer IQ. I don't know what our best midfield group might be--and I doubt Kirt does either. But like last year, he seems locked in already on starters, which I find curious. If anybody is around the university or the athletic department and can get word on what's up with Katz, it would be nice to know. She is a player who could help this team significantly, if and when she's playing again.

Here's another issue: Kirt is playing Simmonds out on the wing, and it is not working. It's not working because she's a center-forward, not a winger. What's more, she keeps trying, over and over again, to dribble past defenders--and all she's been doing is losing the ball, over and over again. She needs to get rid of the ball. She's got two goals--one a PK--but she's not been very good. The bigger issue is that Simmonds, Runyon and Thomas are ALL center-forwards. How all this shakes out whenever Thomas gets back is going to be interesting. It's hard to see her and Simmonds having much chemistry--given that neither is really very good at passing the ball or creating chances for others.

In any case, we were pretty ragged today, especially in the first 20 minutes of the game. Maybe it was the 90 degree heat, an away game and only two days of rest. That's a combination that can lead to lethargic play. We slowly pulled things together enough to beat a LIpscomb team that doesn't seem very good this year but did work hard defensively. I think our depth was the difference. We have a lot of this year, and glad to see the coaches using it.
I did see an interview with Lipscomb’s coach, he said the heat was a factor.
 
Simmonds Earns SEC Offensive Player of the Week Honors

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Kameron Simmonds has been named SEC Offensive Player of the Week in the first round of weekly awards, as announced by the league office on Monday.

Simmonds kicked off her sophomore campaign in grand fashion, scoring in each of UT's first two matches.

She netted her first goal of the season in the 55th minute against Cal, slotting a penalty kick past the Golden Bears' keeper for Tennessee's third goal of the match.

She struck again at Lipscomb, bringing the ball down inside the box and turning a defender before placing the ball in the side net.

Fresh off a trip to the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup where she was part of the Jamaican squad that made history by becoming the first Caribbean nation to advance to the knockout round, Simmonds has made an immediate impact on Rocky Top, taking a team-leading six shots, all of which have been on frame for a perfect shot-on-goal percentage.

This marks the first SEC weekly honor for Simmonds, who finished her freshman season with four goals, three of which came in SEC play.

The Lady Vols will be back in action on Thursday, facing another in-state rival in ETSU. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET and the contest will be steamed on SECN+.
 
Happy for Yanez. I think she's played a lot during the World Cup tournament. I got nervous about her because in her first couple of starts--at least--the Wave lost and she gave up, as I recall, one not-so-great goal in each, which is not what you want to do as the backup keeper. I haven't followed her play, or the team, much since---mostly because I got nervous that she might be cut or somesuch. I hope she's been playing well as she's a super keeper and team leader. She was a great player for us. I met her Mom once at at Vol soccer match--I don't get to see many---and she was very nice.
 
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Simmonds is good, dangerous, when she can get the ball somewhere in front of goal--as she did on that goal--and can take advantage of her size, skills and shooting ability. She's not been very good playing out wide. She's dribbling too much, losing the ball too much--and not really doing much to help create chances. In two games I don't recall her sending in a single cross. She has tried to center one or two balls after dribbling--but that's the thing: she's just spending too much time on the ball.

It's interesting that Kirt has opted to start a true freshman, Runyon, at center-forward and not Simmonds. Runyon is taller than Simmonds, and maybe even a touch faster--but she's also a true freshman and so does true freshman things. On Simmonds goal yesterday they worked together. Simmonds hasn't been great on her penalty-kicks, either. She made one against Cal; it wasn't especially well hit, but it got through, and then yesterday she shot the ball with roughly the same pace as the shot against Cal, in the same place, and it got saved. You really want to whelp a PK as it obviously makes it harder to save.

This team needs to get Katz back. Hoping she's not badly hurt.
 

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